Math Kangaroo Competition Format: Everything Parents Need to Know

Math Kangaroo is one of the largest international math competitions in the world, and it’s growing fast in the United States. In 2025 alone, over 53,000 students participated across all 50 states. If your child is thinking about entering — or you just want to understand what they’re signing up for — here’s everything you need to know about the format.

What Is Math Kangaroo?

Math Kangaroo (officially called the “International Mathematical Kangaroo”) is a multiple-choice math competition open to students from kindergarten through grade 12. It started in France in 1991 and is now held in over 100 countries. In the US, it’s organized by Math Kangaroo USA and takes place on a single day each year at registered testing centers.

The competition isn’t about speed or memorizing formulas. It focuses on logical thinking, creative problem solving, and mathematical reasoning — the kind of skills that don’t always get enough attention in school.

When Is the 2026 Competition?

The 2026 Math Kangaroo competition is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Registration opens on September 15 and regular registration closes on December 31. A late registration window (at a higher fee) runs through February 1. There are also self-proctored virtual center options with a later deadline.

Grade Levels and Test Pairings

Math Kangaroo groups students into six two-grade levels. Students in the same pair take the same test:

Kindergarteners can participate at the Grade 1 level.

Test Format

Every level follows the same basic format:

• Multiple choice — every question has 5 answer choices (A through E)
• 75 minutes — the same time limit for all levels
• No calculator allowed — all problems are designed to be solved with pencil and paper
• No penalty for wrong answers — students should answer every question

The questions are selected by the International Math Kangaroo Committee (known as AKSF — Association Kangourou sans Frontières), so students worldwide are solving the same problems.

Scoring System

Questions are divided into three difficulty tiers, with each tier making up one-third of the test:

Grades 1–4 (24 questions)

Grades 5–12 (30 questions)

Your child’s score is simply the sum of points earned from correct answers. There’s no deduction for wrong or blank answers, so it always makes sense to guess if they’re unsure.

Awards and Rankings

Math Kangaroo recognizes students at both the state and national level:

• National Winners — The top 20 scorers at each grade level nationwide are ranked 1st through 20th. The top 3 receive gold, silver, and bronze medals, and all top 20 receive additional prizes.
• State Winners — The top 3 scorers at each grade level in each state receive blue, red, and white ribbons.
• Percentile Rankings — Nearly every participant receives both a state and national percentile, showing how they performed relative to other students at their grade level.

If multiple students tie for a top score, they all receive the same rank and award.

What Topics Are Covered?

Math Kangaroo doesn’t follow a specific curriculum. Instead, it draws from a broad range of mathematical topics that reward creative thinking:

• Number sense & arithmetic — mental math, divisibility, estimation
• Geometry & spatial reasoning — shapes, symmetry, area, angles
• Logic & puzzles — truth-and-liar problems, deduction, scheduling
• Algebra & patterns — sequences, relationships, basic equations
• Combinatorics & counting — systematic counting, arrangements
• Word problems — real-world scenarios requiring careful reading and setup

The questions start straightforward and get progressively harder within each tier. Even strong math students often find the last tier challenging — that’s by design.

How to Prepare

Here are a few practical tips:

1. Start with past papers. Math Kangaroo publishes previous years’ problems and answer keys on their website. Working through real problems is the best way to understand the style and difficulty.

2. Focus on problem-solving strategies, not formulas. Many problems require creative approaches rather than standard procedures. Teach your child to draw diagrams, work backwards, eliminate wrong answers, and look for patterns.

3. Practice time management. With 75 minutes for 24–30 questions, students have roughly 2.5–3 minutes per problem. They should learn to skip hard problems and come back to them.

4. Don’t leave anything blank. Since there’s no penalty for guessing, every blank answer is a missed opportunity.

5. Use a structured guide. A good prep guide breaks down each topic area with kid-friendly explanations and targeted practice. (That’s exactly what our Math Kangaroo Guide for Grades 3–6 does.)

Quick Reference Card

Sources

All competition details in this article were verified against official Math Kangaroo USA resources as of February 2026:

• Math Kangaroo USA — Homepage — Official competition overview and 2025 participation figures (53,562 students).
• Math Kangaroo USA — Registration — 2026 registration dates and deadlines.
• Math Kangaroo USA — Scoring — Official scoring rules, point values, and no-penalty policy.
• Math Kangaroo USA — Awards — National and state award structure, medal and ribbon details.
• Math Kangaroo USA — FAQ: About the Test — Test format, number of questions, time limit, and calculator policy.
• Math Kangaroo USA — 2026 Competition Memo (PDF) — Official 2026 date confirmation (March 19, 2026).
• AKSF — History — Founding history (1991, France) and international expansion.

This guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by Math Kangaroo USA or Kangourou sans Frontières. For official rules and registration, visit mathkangaroo.org.